Elderly Jennings woman dies after leaping off Mermentau River Bridge

JENNINGS — An 82-year-old Jennings woman died early Thursday after leaping off the Mermentau River Bridge on U.S. 90 east east of Jennings.

The body of Irene F. Jeanise was recovered from the river shortly after witnesses at the nearby Leevac Shipyard reported seeing a woman jump from the bridge around 7:15 a.m., according to Sheriff's Office Chief Criminal Investigator Christopher Ivey.

Deputies found the woman's vehicle parked on top of the bridge. The vehicle was locked with no one around, Ivey said.

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